Blade sharpener



Sept '1; 1931. D. A. MQYER 1,821,721

BLADE SHARPENER Filed Aug. l5. 1929 gg u Ier.)

y mi,

Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVID A. MOYEB, 0FNEAR- BIRDSBGR, PENNSYLVANIA Application led August 15, 1E29.

19 ping and honing, improve the cutting edge but do not perfectly alignthe teeth and, consequently, do not produce as keen an edge as isdesired.

It has been proposed to realign the teeth of a blade that has becomedull, and thus sharpen it, by placing its edge adjacent to or in contactwith the pole of a magnet or by placing t-he blade between the poles ofa horseshoe magnet. The same result has also been sought by placing theedge of an already magnetized blade adjacent a piece of unmagnetizedsoft iron. The effect of these methods, however, is only partialalignment of the minute teeth of the blade edge.

One object of my invention is the provision of a blade sharpening devicecapable of sharpening a blade by the mere insertion and removal thereoffrom the device.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a blade Sharpener whereinthe blade is subjected both to a strong magnetic field and to the wipingaction of a pair of hard true surfaces engaging one on each side of theblade edge. v 5 A further object of my invention is the provision of ablade Sharpener wherein the combined fields of two magnets are utilizedto bring the minute teeth of the blade edge into alignment.

For a better understanding of my invention, refrence may now be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of the disclosure, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a preferred embodiment of myinvention with a blade disposed therein in readiness for sharpeningFigure 2 is a top plan View of the device shown in Figure 1 with theblade removed;

Figure 3 is a similar view with the seg- BLADE SHARPENER Serial No.386,108.

ments separated an exaggerated distance to illustrate the normal path ofthe magnetic lines of force between the segments;

Figure et is a sectional view taken substantie-ily along the line i-4 ofFigure 2; and

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the device.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanyingdra-wings, broad-.i

ly considered, comprises a pair of rectangularly shaped segments 10 thatare yieldingly secured together by means of a pair of tension springs 11disposed centrally of the end portions of the two segments.

Each of the segments 10 has its ends slotted, as indicated at 12, toaccommodate a spring 11, and the springs are attached to pins 13 whichlie in grooves 14 cut therefor in the outer surfaces of the respectivesegments.

The ends of the segments are preferably beveled, as indicated at 15, toexpedite assembly of the pins and springs with the segments, and arealso curved, as indicated at 16, to expedite insertion of a bladebetween r,

the segments.

The segments l0 whichare made of iine grained tempered steel and arerhighly magnetized, constitute permanent magnets of great strength,lVhen the two segments are A further sharpening eilect is obtained by'nthe continued engagement of the inner surfaces 19 of the segments withthe blade as the latter is removed from the device. These surfaces areaccurately machined and polished, d the central mounting of the springs11 insures their engagement with the blade until the latter leaves thedevice.

To sharpen a blade, the device is preferably placed upon a table orother supporting surface in the position as shown in Figure 1 of i C thedrawings. An end of the blade is first inserted between the curvedportions 16 and pushed in to separate the segments, after which it maybe moved to the center and into alignment with the segments withoutdamaging the edge of the blade. Then, maint-aining the blade inalignment with the segments, it is gradually drawn up and away from thesegments. As the beveled portion7 common to all razor blades adjacentthe cutting edge thereof and therefore not shown, of the blade 17 isdrawn from between the segments 10, the upper edges of the latterapproach each other and engage the blade until it leaves the device.This action serves to wipe or burnish the edge portion of the blade andremoves any loosened particles of the blade which, if permitted toremain, would cause damage to the user of the blade. Y

Thilo the blade is between the segments it has a strong unidirectionalfield passing through it which causes the minute teeth of its edge tomove into alignment, thus sharpening the blade.

Due to the fact that the blade is a better conductor of magnetism thanthe air betwee the segments7 there is a concentration of lines of forceat the edge of the blade as the blade is withdrawn.

Although l have illustrated only one form which my invention may assume,and have described thatform in detail, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that variousminor modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A blade sharpening device comprising a pair of similarly shapedmagnets and means yieldingly maintaining the magnets in assembledrelation.

2. A blade sharpening device comprising a pair of magnets yieldinglysecured together.

3. A blade sharpening devi-ce comprising a pair of magnets yieldinglysecured together by springs attached to the mid-points of the ends ofthe magnets.

4. A blade sharpening device comprisin g a pair of magnets havingfinished polished surfaces, means engaging the ends of the magnets toyielding maintain the magnets together with their polished surfaces incontacting relation.

5. A blade sharpening device comprising a pair of magnets each having aslot cut in each of its ends7 tension 'springs disposed in the slots,and pins attached to the ends of the springs and resting in groovesformed therefor in the surface of the magnets whereby the magnets areyieldingly maintained in assembled relation.

6. A blade sharpening device comprising` a pair of superimposed magnetsformed with DAVID A. MOYER.

